Reference
FAQ & Troubleshooting
Questions we keep getting
General
What is Asentum?
A Layer-1 blockchain built from scratch in JavaScript with post-quantum signatures from genesis. See Why Asentum.
Is the testnet live?
Yes — testnet.asentum.com. Five validators across three continents, 20,000+ blocks produced.
When is mainnet?
Mainnet is Phase 4 of the rollout. Current work is stabilising the incentivized testnet (Phase 3). Exact date is not yet committed — we would rather ship right than ship early.
Is there a token?
ASE exists on testnet as test ASE (no monetary value). Mainnet distribution details are on the presale page.
Using the network
Can I use MetaMask?
For reads, yes — add the network. For signing, no — MetaMask produces ECDSA signatures and Asentum requires Dilithium3. Use the Asentum Wallet extension alongside.
How do I get test ASE?
The testnet faucet drips 1,000 test ASE per address per 24 hours.
I lost my password — what now?
Use the "Forgot password" flow in the wallet to wipe the vault, then restore from your recovery phrase. No phrase means no recovery.
What's the chain ID?
1337 (default — check eth_chainId for the live value). See Network Parameters.
Building
Do I need to learn a new language?
No. Contracts are plain JavaScript inside a Hardened JS sandbox. If you know JS, you know enough to start.
Can I port a Solidity contract?
Not directly — there is no EVM. Rewrite the logic in JavaScript; the model is close enough that most designs translate with minor work. See Writing Contracts.
How do I test contracts?
Two layers: in-process unit tests via @asentum/vm and integration tests against testnet via @asentum/sdk. See Testing Contracts.
Can I use npm packages inside a contract?
No — the contract sandbox has no module imports. The only importable modules are approved libraries, added through governance.
Running a node
Is a Raspberry Pi actually enough?
For a validator, yes — Pi 4 with 4 GB RAM and a USB SSD is the supported floor. See Hardware Requirements.
How do I avoid getting slashed?
Two rules: one signing key, one machine. Don't double-sign. Don't skip the monitoring. Full checklist at Slashing Risks.
Can I run a validator without risk?
Not a consensus validator — bonded stake means slashing risk. For risk-free participation, run a service node instead. See Node Types.
Troubleshooting
My node isn't syncing.
Check peers (asentum chain status). If zero, confirm the HTTP RPC port (default 8545) is reachable from your peers — all peer networking runs over HTTP. See Monitoring & Logs.
I sent a transaction but don't see it in the explorer.
Wait one block (2 seconds). If still missing, your transaction was rejected — check the response from eth_sendRawTransaction. Common causes: nonce mismatch, insufficient balance, base fee too low.
My tx reverted with "already initialized".
You ran the contract\'s init method twice. Init is replay-guarded by convention. See Writing Contracts.
MetaMask won't show my ASE balance.
Make sure the chain is added with the right RPC URL and chain ID. Then import the token — MetaMask doesn\'t auto-detect non-ETH native tokens.
Still stuck?
Email hello@asentum.com or file an issue on GitHub. We'd rather help you now than have you work around it.